Easter Pageant

In the late 1920s, a cherished Easter tradition took root on Catalina Island. Each year on Easter Sunday, before the first light of dawn, worshippers would quietly ascend Buena Vista Point under a sky full of stars, guided only by starlight and the solemn chimes echoing from the Chimes Tower over Avalon. As the island slowly stirred awake, Buena Vista Point—one of the first places to catch the morning sun—became the stage for a moving reenactment of the resurrection of Christ.

Local townspeople, dressed in flowing robes and costumes, brought the story to life against the backdrop of a weathered stone arch, a simple dirt stage, and terraced steps carved from the hillside. Surrounding the scene were hundreds of fragrant Easter lilies, all grown on the island, adding a natural beauty to the spiritual setting.

Although the pageant paused during World War II and briefly returned in the 1960s, its legacy still lingers as one of Catalina’s most heartfelt and picturesque traditions.

Catalina Islander Newspaper
source: http://cat.stparchive.com/Archive/CAT/CAT04211938P01.php
Thursday, April 21, 1938

Beautiful Tableau given Easter Morn
Buena Vista Park Scene of Beautiful Services Depicting Resurrection to Large Congregation

By Alma Overholt

To the accompaniment of a choir of mocking birds perched in the trees of Buena Vista Park, overlooking Avalon Bay, converted by landscape gardeners into a replica of the "Garden of Joseph of Arimathea." the tableau of the Resurrection was re-enacted as the first rays of the sun unfurled their golden scroll across the blue Pacific to the foot of the Easter Cross on Santa Catalina Island.

Provision had been made for a capacity congregation, but so large was the attendance that it overflowed down the hillsides and occupied very crag and vantage point. Below, on Avalon Bay, and stretching up the Island coast to the Isthmus, a majestic fleet of the yachts rode at anchor as Easter sunrise services were observed from above deck.

With swift fingers, the golden sun painted the living pictures as the story of "Christ Is Risen" unfolded and took the hushed assemblage back to the first joyous Easter morn 2000 years ago. Following the responsive reading by Earle Pollok, from St. Luke 24:1-9, came the Prophet's Vision, with Isaiah portrayed by Malcolm Renton. Dr. John Barron Toomay, pastor of the Avalon Community Congregational Church, acted as narrator as each tableau followed.

Mrs. Toomay portrayed the role of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the second episode, with Kay Marincovich as Mary Magdalene as they came with the women to the Holy Sepulchre with spices to anoint the body of Christ. As the stone was found rolled back from the Holy Sepulchre, the Angel of the Lord, portrayed by Irene Biller, appeared to proclaim that the Lord had Risen, and bide them to "weep not."

Solos between tableaux were sung by S.E. Carpenter and Ralph M. Heywood, with the choir from the Avalon Community Church leading the congregation singing "Christ the Lord is Risen Today," at the close. 

The pageant was directed by Peggy Wiseman and given under the auspices of the Mary Williams Club. It is planned to make the Easter Sunrise pageant at Santa Catalina Island an annual institution, with selection for the cast an honor to be sought for among residents of Avalon, similar to that in the Passion Play of Oberammergau.